artificium Latin · revision 7796

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Rhetorica ad Herennium|origins=la ars, la faciō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''artificium''' ''n'' (genitive artificiī or artificī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[artifex]] “craftsman”, from [[ars]] “art” and [[faciō]] “to make”, with the suffix [[-ium]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'', of skill and of a cunning device.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant skill shown in an art, craftsmanship, talent, as in Caesar, and in Cicero an art, craft, trade, as the painters' art and the necessary crafts.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Cicero it also meant the rules or theory of an art, and a work of art.^(OLD 2012) From the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' it meant craftiness, a trick, stratagem, and in Pliny the Elder a device.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant craft, skill, handicraft.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for a machine, a war machine and a craft guild.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian ''artificio'' and French ''artifice'', which gave [[en|artifice]] in the 1530s, and ''artificiālis'' gave [[en|artificial]] in the late 14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 86/82 BC – The ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' uses it of skill and of a trick.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of crafts.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of skill.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1530s – English ''artifice'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Skill, craftsmanship.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An art, craft, trade.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The theory of an art.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Cunning; a trick, [[m|en|stratagem]]; a device.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A work of art.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A machine; a craft [[m|en|guild]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[artificiālis]]

+ * [[artificiōsus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[artifex]]

+ * [[ars]]

+ * [[en|artifice]]

+ * [[en|artificial]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}